1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a compact camera, and more particularly to a compact camera having a case which is slidable on a camera body and protects a taking lens and other elements while the camera is not used.
2. Description of the Related Art
A new type photo film cartridge, called IX240-type, has been developed and marketed. The IX240-type photo film cartridge can contain the entire length of a photo filmstrip in its shell and thereafter advance the filmstrip out of the shell by rotating its spool in an unwinding direction. The cartridge shell of the IX240-type also has a door member at its film port, to close the interior of the cartridge shell light-tightly. Correspondingly, cameras for use with the IX240-type photo film cartridge are provided with devices for opening the door member and rotating the spool of the cartridge in the unwinding direction after the photo film cartridge is put in a cartridge chamber. Thereby, the photo filmstrip is automatically loaded to make the camera ready for photography.
The photo filmstrip contained in the IX240-type cartridge has a smaller frame area and uses a thinner film base compared to a conventional 135-type photo filmstrip. Accordingly, the IX240-type photo film cartridge is smaller than a 135-type photo film cartridge.
Miniaturization of cameras is one of requirements for improving portability and handiness of the cameras. Even among those cameras using the 135-type photo film cartridge, some are so small as a cigarette pack. Therefore, cameras for use with the IX240-type photo film cartridge can be made smaller than a cigarette pack.
Although portability is improved with a size reduction of the camera, very small cameras are not easy to hold properly for photography. Photographer can sometimes unconsciously rest a finger on a taking lens or a flash window. As a measure to solve this problem, protrusions are provided around the taking lens and the flash unit so as the photographer can keep the finger from the taking lens and the flash window. However, those protrusions around the taking lens and the flash window are bad for the appearance.
A camera having a cap-like slide case is disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open Application No. 60-60731. The slide case is slidable on a camera body having photographic mechanisms incorporated thereinto, and cover a taking lens, a flash window and a shutter button. Thus, the taking lens and the flash window are protected while the camera is not used. When the slide case is slid to a position uncovering the taking lens and the flash window, the slide case serves as a grip to hold the camera for photography. Because the slide case provides a sufficient gripping space, the taking lens and the flash window are prevented from being blocked by the finger during photography. However, the slide case of this prior art is provided with an opening for exposing the flash window at a center thereof, so dust or the like can be put in between the camera body and the slide case.
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/941,571, filed on Sep. 30, 1997, discloses a compact camera having a cap-like slide case. The camera body of this prior art has a plane box shape, whereas its slide case has a shape of square tube, and tightly covers up more than half of the camera body in the closed position. Also, a flash projector and a battery chamber are located in a middle area of the camera body above a taking lens, so the flash projector and the taking lens are simultaneously exposed when the slide case is slid to a working position uncovering the camera body by a certain amount. Therefore, there is no need for providing a specific opening through the slide case for exposing a flash window of the flash projector when the taking lens is uncovered. Thus, this compact camera is efficiently protected against dust. Also, a shutter button is mounted on the slide case, whereas a shutter switch is mounted in the camera body. The shutter button is placed right above the shutter switch when the slide case is set at the working position, so the shutter switch is actuated by depressing the shutter button only while the slide case is in the working position.
Since the red-eye phenomenon is more likely to occur where a flash window is located right above the taking lens, the flash projector of this prior art is designed to pop up away from the taking lens when the flash projector is uncovered from the slide case. In addition, when the slide case reaches the working position, a power switch is turned on, and then a lens barrel of the taking lens is protruded forward from the camera body. When the power switch is turned off, the lens barrel is stowed into the camera body.
Locating the battery chamber above the taking lens contributes to reducing the height of the camera body. However, to provide both the flash projector and the battery chamber in a small room above taking lens involves so many restrictions that it the flash projector and the battery chamber of the prior art are not sufficiently handy, but rather affect adversely on the layout of other elements.
According to this prior art, if the battery runs out while the slide case is in the working position, the lens barrel is left in the protruded position until a new battery is loaded. The slide case is left opened and cannot protect the taking lens then.
Since the shutter button is to be placed right above the shutter switch and the power switch is to be turned on when the slide case comes to the working position, it is necessary to click-stop the slide case precisely at the working position. In addition, because the flash projector and the lens barrel protrude out of the camera body when the slide case is opened up to the working position, if the slide case is not securely held at the working position, the slide case may loosely slide and crash into the flash projector or the lens barrel. It is possible to electrically check if the slide case reaches the working position, to electrically turn on the power switch and activate a device for holding the slide case at the working position. However, it is preferable in view of cost and mounting space to have the slide case held at the working position without any electricity. In order to improve the workability of the camera, it is also desirable to provide locking mechanisms for holding the slide case at appropriate positions on the camera body.
On the other hand, since the IX240-type photo film cartridge has the door member at its film port, if the photo film cartridge with the door member open is exposed to ambient light, the photo filmstrip contained in the cartridge shell is fogged. Therefore, the IX240-type camera for use with the IX240-type photo film cartridge conventionally has a latching mechanism incorporated into a lid of the cartridge chamber, such that the latching mechanism stops the lid from opening so long as the door member is open. However, the latching mechanism has been an obstacle to the miniaturization of the IX240-type camera, and also a factor that increase the cost.
In view of the foregoing, an object of the present invention is to provide a compact camera which is very compact and handy especially when loading or unloading a battery.
A second object of the present invention is to provide a compact camera which makes it possible to protect a taking lens even while a battery is unloaded.
A third object of the present invention is to provide a compact camera having a slidable camera case and simple locking mechanisms for automatically stopping the slidable case at an appropriate working position while the camera case is sliding on a camera body.
A fourth object of the present invention is to provide an IX240-type compact camera for use with the IX240-type photo film cartridge having the door member, wherein the compact camera has a camera case slidable on a camera body between a first position preventing a lid of a cartridge chamber from opening and a second position allowing the cartridge chamber lid to open, and wherein the door member is opened when the camera case slides from the second position to the first position, and the camera case is prevented from moving from the first position to the second position so long as the door member is open.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a compact camera which is easy and convenient to operate.
To achieve the first object, a compact camera according to the present invention is comprised of a camera case attached to a camera body and slidable on the camera body between a resting position covering a taking lens, and a working position uncovering the taking lens;
a battery chamber provided in the camera body for holding a battery as a power source of the camera; a battery chamber lid rotatable about a rotational axis between an open position opening the battery chamber to the outside of the camera body and a closed position closing the battery chamber; and a flash projector rotatable about the same rotational axis as the battery chamber lid is rotatable about, between a flashing position where a front face of the flash projector is directed toward a photographic subject, and a stowed position where the flash projector is stowed in a recess of the camera body, the flash projector being in the stowed position and covered with the camera case at the resting position, and uncovered at the working position.
Because the flash projector and the battery chamber lid are rotatable about the same axis, the space efficiency of the camera is improved and the number of parts is reduced.
To achieve the second object, according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a power switch is turned on to start supplying power from the battery when said flash projector moves in said flashing position, and is turned off when said flash projector is stowed, and the flash projector is pushed into the stowed position by the battery chamber lid when the battery chamber lid is opened. Also, the taking lens is retracted into the camera body when the power switch is turned off.
Since the flash projector is pushed in the stowed position and thus the power switch is turned off by opening the battery chamber lid, and thereby the taking lens is retracted into the camera body, it is possible to cover up the taking lens with the camera case after the battery is unloaded.
To achieve the third object, a compact camera according to the present invention is comprised of a camera body having a taking lens and a cartridge chamber for holding a photo film cartridge; a cartridge chamber lid for opening and closing the cartridge chamber to outside of the camera body; a flash projector mounted on the camera body to be movable between a stowed position where the flash projector is stowed in a recess formed above the taking lens, and a flashing position where a front face of the flash projector is directed toward a photographic subject, the flash projector being urged to move to the flashing position; a camera case attached to a camera body and slidable on the camera body between a resting position covering the taking lens, the flash projector and the lid, a working position uncovering the taking lens and the flash projector but covering the lid, and a cartridge changing position uncovering the cartridge chamber lid to enable loading or unloading the photo film cartridge; a first locking mechanism for locking the camera case to stop at the working position while the camera case is moving from the resting position to the cartridge changing position;
a first unlocking mechanism for unlocking the camera case from the first locking mechanism; a second locking mechanism for locking the camera case to stop at the working position while the camera case is moving from the cartridge changing position to the resting position; and a second unlocking mechanism for unlocking the camera case from the second locking mechanism.
To achieve the fourth object, a compact camera according to the present invention is comprised of a camera body having a taking lens and a cartridge chamber for holding a photo film cartridge, the photo film cartridge having a door member to open and close a film exit of the photo film cartridge; a cartridge chamber lid for opening and closing the cartridge chamber to outside of the camera body; a camera case attached to the camera body and slidable on the camera body between a resting position covering the taking lens and the cartridge chamber lid, a working position uncovering the taking lens but at least partly covering the cartridge chamber lid, and a cartridge changing position uncovering the cartridge chamber lid to enable loading or unloading the photo film cartridge; a door operating mechanism mounted in the camera body and coupled to the door member, the door operating mechanism being urged in a closing direction to close the door member and actuated by the camera case to open the door member when the camera case is moved from the cartridge changing position to the working position; and a stopping mechanism for stopping the camera case from moving to the cartridge changing position in cooperation with the door operating mechanism if the door member is not closed while the camera case is moving from the working position to the cartridge changing position.
According to the present invention, a compact camera is provided with a camera case movable on a camera body at least between a resting position covering a taking lens and a working position uncovering the taking lens; a flash projector urged to move from a position stowed in the camera body to a flashing position protruding out of the camera body, the flash projector being confined in the stowed position by the camera case in the resting position, and allowed to move to the flashing position when the camera case moves in the working position; a main switch that is turned on to set the camera to a photo mode when the flash projector moves in the flashing position, and is turned off to set the camera to a sub mode when the flash project is moved in the stowed position; a shutter switch for effecting a photo-taking operation when operated in the photo mode; and an operation device manually operated to enter signals for setting up the camera to appropriate conditions, wherein different functions are assigned to the operation device in the sub mode from those assigned in the photo mode, and any operation on the shutter switch is ignored in the sub mode.